St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-03-05

GEN PRICE, c. S. A. would follow hi
proclamation He was doomed to disappoint
nlent, in great measure.
About ), 900 Missourians joined his stand
ard, but no more.
Meantime, Nov. /, 1861, Mcclellan haC
been appointed commander-in chief of all tn.
| armies, and there had been a shaking up OF
generals and new deal all around Fremont
was removed from the department of the
| Missouri and tine command given to Halleck
Fremont had once driven Price out of Mis-
souri, into Arkansas But on Fremont's re-
/ tirement Price Immediately returned to the
old ground and issued the lively proclama-
/ ton.
As soon as he could get squared about in his
new seat:at st. Louis Halleck sent Brig. Gen.
Samuel R. Curtis after Price with an army
which finally, including the re-enforcenents
added from time to time, amounted to l2,-
| U95 MEN. Curtis was an Ohio man, West
Point graduate, and he had been colonel IL
the Mexican war. He had been a congress
man from Iowa, and lived in teat state when
the civil war broke out.
An obstructive part of war history is got
from reading the correspondence and the re-
ports in the government archives. Nearly
all the generals In the field constantly beg the
department comIpanders for re-enforcements,
and are answered that re-enforcements are
being forwarded as fast as possible
Ii HallecE's instruction to Curtis he con-
stantly urges the latter to keep his men to-
gether, and not let the enemy fight him in
detail. Throw out your cavalry carefully"
says Halleck, like fingers to the hand, so that
they can be drawn in on the main body"
Curtis. in one of his letters, declares that he
must Il" cavalry horses, 400 new sets of ar
tlllery H. and 10000 pairs of pants"
Haleck answers back that pants will be
sent, but he cannot spare any horses
Miss 0url and Arkansas were the scene of
the most desperate guerrilla fighting of the
war, and this fact is also reflected in Curtis
letters. He tells Col Clark Wright: "There
Is great set of rogues about Keitsville and |
hope you will find and arrest and send back
the most OF them. Another Of Curtis orders
is very strict in regard to protection of pri-
vate property. He will not permit houses to
be entered, unless for spies, arms or soldiers
Restrain your troops from acts of cruelty
and folly" he directs Col. Wright
Gen. Price wintered at Springfield, getting
recruits and supplies February H. Curtis
began his march against Price, As be ap-
preached, Price retreated SOUTH and finally |
went over the border into Arkansas He |
camped at a place called Cross Holows. |
Curtis cavalry followed in close pursuit. |
Price retreated hastily, leaving a number of |
sick and a considerable amount of commits
sary stores behind him. He burned his bar
racks at Cross Hollows.
Near this place occurred one Of those out
'ages of the war which all must regret now
Some OF Prices provisions were left at ham
ct called Mud Town. Some Confederate
officers, before they abandoned these, scat
cred poison over them. Federal officers and
nen following on found the provisions, ate
them and sickened and died. Who per-
'etrated the act has never been exactly ascer-
aimed. But it shows what warfare ia Mis-
ouli and Arkansas meant in those days.
Price continued retreating till he came to
5oston mountains. Look ON the map and
'ou viii see spur of the Ozark range ex.
ending into the northwest corner of Arkau-
as, about fifty mikes south of the border.
his is the Boston mountains stretch of
ills 1000 feet high.
Gen. Earl Van Dorm had been recently ap- ;
ointed to the command of the Confederate